Art of treating gases electrically.



UNITED STATES PATENT tll' ljlttltl.

IGNACY MOSCICKI. OF GAMBACH.

NEAR FRIBOURG, SWITZERLAND.

ART OF TREATING GASES ELECTRIGALLY.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l. lcxacv Mcmcniu. electrician, a citizen of Russia, residing at (lambach, near Fribourg. in the. Republic o't Hwitzerlaml, have invented certain new and useful ln'iprowanents in the .\rt of Ill-eating (lases lllectrically; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full. clear, and e.\'- act. description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the a rt; to which it. appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the. art ol electrolytically or electrosvnthetically treating gases and the same has particular re l'erence to the production of oxids of nitrogen by electric furnace methods. although the same may be used for the production ol other gases.

Tn the apparatus hitherto employed For the production of oxids of nitrogen by elec tric process the cooling of the gases which have been under reaction and which leave the electric arc is effected by conducting through or past the flame a larger (piantity than that which can enter into reaction. so that the gaseous precincts Formed by the action of the flame can cool directly after reaction in mixing with these quantities of gas. Now it .is to be borne in mind that a large portion of electric energy which is expended in these apparatus is necessary for imparting to that portion oi. the gas passing through the apparatus and (.l'ltOllllg into re action, the high temperature required tor this reaction. while al'ter the temperature has been increased only a smaller portion ol the electric energy is necessary for the chemical reaction and is hound llltl'eby. ('lalculation and practical experiments have shown that in order to insure a ct'ioling ot' the gases to about 700 the quantity of gas employed cannot be much smaller than 2.5 m. per 1 kilowatt hour. If however the cooling to about 700 be not ell'ected quickly enough decomposition of the nitrogen oxids inst formed immediately after the llame riaction is unavoidable. It may be observed that even at 700 decomposition may follow but so slowly that it is not of practical importance. The circumstance that large excesses of gas n'iustbe conveyed with the quantities of gas entering into reaction involves as a consequence that it is not easily possible to obtain in the product leaving the apparatus more than 2% of nitric oxid s of the total volume of gas given oft.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 6, 1907,

Patented lept. 7, i909.

Serial No. 387.257.

It, is the object of the present invention to produce gases such as oxids ol' nitrogen by electric process, which enables a much larger quality of oxlds oli nitrogen to be obtained in the product leaving the apparatus.

One form of ap niratus embodying this invention is illustrated in tho accompauying drawings, l igure 1. being a lot'igitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a transverse section ol the same.

()t' the two electrodes (1. the one u, is ol' cyliiulrical form but rounded (ill at the lower end, while the other electrode 1 is [mated by a body containing a larger number olf passages colnnninicating above and below with hollow cylinders. ioth electrodes are arranged for being cooled by means oil a liquid, for cxan'iple oil. water, etc. a lube c which is open at its lower end extending into the electrode nearly to the point thercol, while in the case of the electrode 1) there is only a cooling jacket provided with an admission and a discharge pipe. The cooling of the electrode (L ell'ected by the admission ol' the cooling liquid through the tube 1,: and the discharge of the same through the pipe d. The two electrodes are mutually insulated by means oi the sleeve 1: which is made ol good insulating material. The electric energy is: supplied through conductors and. g. The surface of the elm-trodc 1 situated opposite the free end ot the electrode (z. is flat. and only slightly distant from the former. As shown, said electrode. Z), cxlends entirely across the lurnacc chamber and forms its lower end wall. 'lhe middle portion of the electrode 0 is surrounded by a coil which is intended to produce a powcr'l'ul magnetic lield. The magnetic lines ol' l'orce ol this lield are vertical to the said llat sur'lm've ol" the electrode l. The gases to be brought into reaction and required for the cooling enter through the pipe i pass the hollow space surrouiuled by the electrode 1) and Force the flame against the surlaee ot the electrode I). pass through the flame and go out of the ap 'iarat us through the passages in the electrode I). The apparatus is specially suitable for working under pressure.

The action of. the described apparatus is based on the observation ol the "following novel phenomena. it an electric flame be produced in a powerful n'iagnetic tield between a plate shaped electrode. the surface of which is vertically intersected by the magnetic lines of forces, and a second electil) ill)

re l)t (l ol' the gases takes plaee mo ly or suddenl after the reaetion. that the gas has passed the eleetrie itlt' or ml the quantity of gas serving for ling ean he eonsiderahlv redueed. discharging passages. are suitahl t' ed so that the eooling ot' the gas to the, teniperatui": at whieh the gases d will not deeoinpose is possihle.

ng that all eoiulitions and dimensions- I ahle. only in. oi gas will he requiret'l watt hour tlanie energr.

uni'i'orm area oi passage for ilueed aeeordingtr as the eleetrieal expended is greater. The reason of the I the Zone ot reaetiou the t'i 'uaiitit of uisite per kilowatt hour ean he t'ur- Y hat the velot-it of the gas when the passage is umlorm is the greater. the

the quantity tort-ed thror i per unit and that eorres iondinglv the time ot' the protluets ol'i reaetion with eold shorter. and that also UUIIOHIXHHIh the greater veloeitv the earlier the @eooliug hegins. in the ease ol altereurrent the ignition ol tihe tlame is at ever alteration of the direction tau-rent lietween the eleetrode I! and le ot' the eleetrode situated at the t'listanee therefrom. and the. flame. 'rom this position whieh is vertical to .e into a position in which it sweeps e plate and revolves ('leserihing the 'erenee of a hlunted (:one. in the (-ontimions eurrent the tiame when nited constantly retains its largestlhe heat given otlj' from the elee- 1nd from the cooling media used in ion with the same :an be utilized tor various purposes. electrodes are preterahlv formed oi hut it suitably proteeted, they may of iron or other metals \vhieh at, the line increase the magnetic lines of The electrode a the lower end of s rounded oli' might also be replaced leetrode having a eentral depression end opposite the eleetrtale or or suitably formed electrodes. Moreover instead o'l' an electrode t) furnished with a larger uumher ot straight passages ot' eireular eross seetiou another eleetrode eoultl he emphiyed tormed with zigzag passages or the like. This electrode might also he eonstrueted after the manner ot a flame tnhe hoiler. so that a eooling liquid or vapors ld he -aused to eireulate around -pipes through whieh the gases would he Carried. ol'l'. or it eouhl he suitahlv eonst'rneted lll\ a water tuhe hoiler. Further a grid shaped eleetrode made ot solid htlrs or tuhes through which eooling llt|llltl would run might. he employed.

llaving now paitieularlv deserihetl and aseertained the nature of nrv said invention and in what manner the same is to be per lor ned. l deelare that what I elaiin is:

t. In an eleetrie 't'urnaee tor the treatment of gases. the eomhinatiou. with a lurnat-e into '\\ltlt'll the gases to he treated l!l;\ he led. (it a pair of (let-trodes. one o'l' \\ltit'li is arranged transversely to the direetion ol' travel of the gases in the 't'urnaee ehamher. and is provided with passages through whieh the gases ma) tlow. and means for ereating a maguetie field for moving the are Formed hetween the eleetrodes.

in an eleetrie fortune for the treatment ot gases. the. eomhination with a turnaee t'li:tll|l)('l'. ol' a pair of elta'trtules in said 'l urnaee ehamher. one ot said eleetrodes eem-- prising a relativetv large mass of lu'at-eonduetive material provided with opei'iings through whieh the gases may pass away from the are. means for causing the are to move, and means For supplying the gases to he treated to the l urnaee ehan'iher.

in an eleetrie t urna e, the. combination. with a lurnaee ehamher. ot' a pair ot. eleetrodes arranged on opposite sides of a plane transverse to the turuaee ehamher. one ojl' said eleetrodes eomprising a relatively large mass ol heat-eoiuluetive material provided with openingsthrough .\'l\ltlt the gases may pass away t'rem the are. m *ans t'or eausing the are to more. and means for supplying the gases to he treated to said turnaee ehaniher.

in an eleetrie lurnaee t'or treating gases. the eonihinatxiou. with a furnaee. eliam her. ot' a perforated diaphragm ot' llQttl-tTOildueling material extending trai'isversely o'li said turnaee ehamher and serving one electrode. means for eooling the said eleetrode. a seeond electrode t'aeing the. diaphragm eleetrode. means t'or eausing the are formed het ween the eieetrodes to move. and means for simplying said -turnaee ehai'nhei'.

In an eleetrie furnaee. the eomhinatimi. with a 'lurnaee ehainher. and a lu'eatseoi'ultietiing diapl'iragm arranged transversel", to the 'lurnaee ehamher and provided with passages for the exit of the gas from the are, said gases to he treated to diaphragm serving as one electrode. of a seeond electrode facing the diaphragm eleetrode, means for eireulating a cooling fluid within the said second electrode, means for cooling the diaphragm electrode, means for causing the are to move, and means for conducting gases to he treated to the furnace ehan'iber.

t3. An electric furnace for treating gases, said furnace having an electrode extending entirely across the furnace chamber. form ing the end wall thereof and perforated to serve as an exit device. for the treated gases.

7. An electric furnace for treating gases, said furnace having an electrode extending entirely across the furnace chamber. forming the end wall thereof, and perforated provided with a passage way for the exit of the treated gases, and means for maintaining said electrode relatively cool.

8. ;\n electric furnace for treating gases, said furnaee having a relatively large mass of heat-(:omlueting material arranged to contactwith the gases inin'iediately upon their exit. from the are. and means for maintaining said limit-conducting material at a temperatnre. less than that of the gases in the are.

i In an eleetrie furnace for treating gases. an eltaztrode extemling entirely across the 'l'urnat'ze ehaniht and arranged to serve as an exit device for the treated gases, and means for rotating the are formed on said el ee t rod e.

1.0. The process of treating gases, which consists in conveying a current of gas transversely through a rotating-electrie arc and suddenly cooling substantially the entire body of said gases immediately after they have passed the are.

ll. 'lhe prt'ieess of treating gases, which eonsists in conveying a. gas current at a high velocity transversely through a rotating electric arc and suddmily cooling substantially the entire body of said gases innuediately after they have passed the are.

l2. The process of treating gases, which consists in eonveving a current of gas transversely through a rotating eleetri are, and maintaining the gases which have passed. the are at a temperature not higher than 700" rent igratjlev ln testimonv whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

lGiAGY l\l()S( l(l .l l Witnesses:

lfnlramuur Nantuna, Na'ruadain lacuna. 

